By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 12:19 p.m. ET Jan. 7, 2013
ZURICH (AP) -World Player of the Year candidates Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach cited United States great Mia Hamm as an inspiration on Monday as they seek to follow the only American to win the FIFA award.
Morgan and Wambach, the forward line on the gold medal-winning team at the London Olympics, are competing with five-time award winner Marta of Brazil to get the prize later Monday at FIFA's annual celebration of world football.
No American has won since Hamm got the 2002 trophy for her second straight victory.
Wambach said that Hamm, her teammate on the winning 2004 Olympic team, "played a huge leadership role in my life."
Hamm stressed that winning championships as a team was much more important than collecting any individual award, Wambach said at the candidates' official news conference.
"She won the award a couple of times and never once talked about it," said the 32-year-old Wambach, who finished third in the FIFA award last year. "She only talked about championships, how those felt, and I've always had that similar mindset."
Wambach's career total of 152 international goals is closing in on Hamm's world record of 158.
Morgan, who is 23, describes Hamm and the 1999 Women's World Cup-winning team as "a big inspiration."
"That is what started my passion for the game and created a dream in my mind that I wanted to play on the national team," Morgan said. "Being considered in the same category is an amazing honor."
Morgan and Wambach combined to score 55 goals for the U.S. national team last year.
Wambach scored a team-leading five at the London Games. Morgan had three, and added a tournament-best five assists.
The FIFA award is voted for by national team coaches and captains around the world, and invited media.
Hamm also finished runner-up for the FIFA honor twice. Other Americans to make the shortlist include runners-up Tiffeny Milbrett (2001), Kristine Lilly (2006), and third-place finisher Shannon Boxx (2005).
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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US duo Morgan, Wambach cite Hamm as inspiration
??ZURICH (AP) -World Player of the Year candidates Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach cited United States great Mia Hamm as an inspiration on Monday as they seek to follow the only American to win the FIFA award.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/50385187/ns/sports-soccer/
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